


Day 2 - Flawless Hair

by a_verysmallviolet



Series: Korra Appreciation Week 2015 [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Gen, Haircuts, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-11 11:04:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3325181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_verysmallviolet/pseuds/a_verysmallviolet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The stylist nearly dropped her scissors. “That one?”</p><p>"Yes," Korra nodded. "That one.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day 2 - Flawless Hair

Korra flicked her fingers through her bangs and heaved a sigh.

“It doesn’t look that bad, Korra,” Asami said.

“No. It just looks like a squirrel-beaver decided to camp out on my head.”

Asami’s lips twitched. “Well, you know, it’s natural that your hair’s going to go through an awkward stage while you’re growing it back out. It’s okay. You look perfect no matter what.”

She laid a hand on Korra’s shoulder, and Korra laced her fingers through hers.

“Remind me again why we have that gala tonight?”

“Meeting the new Earth Republic leaders. Their president and most of their Assembly is going to be there.”

“Right, right…”

Asami glanced at the clock and yelped, then dove for her bag.

“Is it time for your meeting with the board, Asami?”

“Not quite, but close enough!” Asami scooped up her things, then leaned down to kiss Korra. “See you tonight before the party gets started.”

“Yeah. Love you.”

Asami smiled, flicked her fingers in farewell, and disappeared out the door. Korra looked after her departing figure a moment, still smiling, and then turned back to the mirror. After scrutinizing her hair for a few minutes, she sighed and pushed her lower lip out.

“Squirrel-beaver,” she muttered.

She remained scowling at her reflection for a few more minutes, lower lip pushed out. Then suddenly she straightened, as though she’d reached a decision.

It was the work of a minute to scoop up Naga’s saddle and trot out to the courtyard. A whistle brought Naga galloping over.

“Hey girl,” Korra greeted her. “Come on. Feel like a trip to the city today?”

A shadow passed overhead. Korra glanced up.

“Where are you going today, Korra?” Ikki asked as she pulled to a neat landing beside them. Korra shrugged a shoulder and smiled.

“Out to the city.”

“To see your _girlfriend?”_ Ikki sing-songed.

“Nah, not today. She’s stuck in board meetings all day. I’m not going to see her or Mako or Bolin until tonight.”

“So where are you going?”

“Out,” Korra smiled. Ikki stuck her tongue out.

“Huh. Naga will tell me anyway when you get back.”

“Not if I tell her not to tell.”

Ikki shrugged, grinned, and leapt up into the air as she unfurled the wings of her glider suit.

“See you when you get back from _out there!”_ she yelled back.

Chuckling, Korra finished saddling Naga and went to catch the ferry.

In the city she rode at a leisurely pace through the streets, Naga peering about good-naturedly. Still, she kept an eye out for certain streets and turnings, until finally she urged Naga to a stop outside a small, neat shopfront.

“Wait here, Naga,” she said as she swung down. Naga pressed her cold nose into Korra’s palm before sitting down, tongue lolling out.

Korra turned back to inspect the store. “Mei Lin’s Hair Salon,” a sign in rose-pink characters proclaimed. “Cut, Color, and Shampoo for Discerning Customers.”

She eyed it, mouth screwed to the side, before she pushed the door open and entered.

A bell tinkled overhead. The store was half-full of women; it smelled faintly like apple blossoms. A small, comfortable-looking woman in pale green came hurrying over.

“Ah, Avatar Korra! Tan Mei Lin, at your service. It’s an honor to have you here. Please, how may I help you? It’ll all be complimentary, of course.”

“Complimentary?” Korra repeated. “Oh, no – no, I couldn’t – “

“Nonsense,” Mei Lin said. “You saved the city; it’s the least I can do. Now. What would you like today?”

“I, uh… I hadn’t really decided yet…”

“Oh, of course, of course! It’s no problem at all. Here,” she said, leading Korra to a chair in a sunny corner. “Sit down. Look through a few of these magazines and see if you can’t find something you like.”

Korra smiled and thanked her. Settling down comfortably, she opened the first of the magazines, tuning out the murmurs and craning necks from the other salon patrons. After a while she was able to do it unconsciously, now fully absorbed in the vast and slightly bewildering beauty world.

In a few minutes, Mei Lin came bustling back over. “Have you chosen yet, dear?”

“Yes.” Korra pointed. “This one, please.”

Mei Lin nearly dropped her scissors. “ _That one?”_

“Yes,” Korra nodded firmly. “That one.”

-

Mako fidgeted and tried not to stare at the clock again. “We’re going to be late.”

“Nah, bro.” Bolin yawned, absently adjusting the cuffs on his suit. “We’ve still got half an hour before the party starts.”

“Yeah, which means _we’re going to be late.”_

Asami tapped on the paper screen. “Korra, are you sure you don’t want any help?”

“I’m sure!” Korra called back. “Almost done. I’m just fastening my necklace right now.”

Shrugging, Asami stepped back. “Well, at least there isn’t…”

The door slid open behind her. With a smile, she turned back around, ready to greet Korra, but then she stopped dead in her tracks.

Bolin gasped. Mako’s jaw dropped. Asami just stared.

Korra blinked.

“What?” she asked. “Is my dress buttoned crooked or something?”

Bolin extended a shaking hand.

“Korra,” he quavered. “Korra… what did you do to your _hair?”_

“Oh. Right.” She patted her hair. “It’s called a spirits-style cut. I don’t think it makes my hair look that bad, right? I mean, it’s not awful or anything.”

“Korra, you don’t _have_ any hair,” Mako said.

Strictly speaking, this was not true. Korra did still have hair, but it was only a few centimeters long, framing the shape of her skull like a close-fitting cap. It was shorter by far than Asami’s midback-length locks, shorter even than Mako’s own.

“Asami,” Korra appealed. “What do you think?”

Asami, who had her head tilted to one side, now gradually tipped it back to the other.

“I think…” she said slowly. “I think it looks pretty cool. I think it looks _very_ cool. Chic, even.”

Korra returned her smile. It was a relief, after all, to know her girlfriend liked her new style.

“Besides,” Asami said briskly. “I told you already you’d look flawless in any style, even if you shaved your head as bald as Tenzin’s.”

Korra laughed out loud. “Now _that_ is not going to happen!”

Asami smiled and offered her arm. “Come on, Korra. Let’s hit this party.”

The two girls linked arms and sauntered off. Bright laughter drifted back. Mako stared after them, rubbing his head.

“You heard them, bro,” Bolin said, linking his arm through Mako’s. “Let’s hit this party, let’s paint the town red, let’s not come back until the sun comes out!”

Mako let his little brother drag him down the hall after Asami and Korra, shaking his head all the while.

Doomed. They’re all doomed. He doesn’t know exactly _how_ they’re doomed, he just knows that they’re doomed.


End file.
